Jernstrom
compactor

ABSTRACT

TRASH COMPACTOR STRUCTURE IN WHICH A RECIPROCATING PISTON IS MOUNTED IN A DRAWER AND THE COMPACTING FORCE IS BETWEEN THE PISTON AND THE FRONT END OF THE DRAWER AND THE TRASH IS FILLED BY SIMPLE OPENING OF THE DRAWER TO PLACE THE TRASH TO BE COMPACTED BETWEEN THE PISTON AND THE FRONT END, AND SERVICABLE BY REMOVAL OF THE ENTIRE DRAWER FROM A FRAMEWORK SUPPORT.

Oct. 2, 1973 w. JERNSTROM 27,774

COMPACTOR Original Filed June 14, 1967 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR KARL WJERNSTROM Oct. 2, 1973 w JERNSTROM Re. 27,774

COMPACTOR 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Original Filed June J4, 1967 FIG. 4

m H W N m w M f W fifl A K 5 m F Oct. 2, 1973 w, JERNSTRQM Re. 27,774

CDMPACTOR Original Filed June 14, 1967 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 FIG. 6

IN l/E N TOR KARL W JERNSTROM A T TURNS) United States Patent 27,774COMPACTOR Karl W. Jernstrom, P.0. Box 278, 160 Woodport Road, Sparta,NJ. 07871 Original No. 3,460,463, dated Aug. 12, 1969, Ser. No. 646,117,June 14, 1967. Application for reissue Nov. 27, 1970, Ser. No. 93,516

Int. Cl. B30b 1/18 US. Cl. 10052 24 Claims Matter enclosed in heavybrackets II] appears in the original patent but forms no part of thisreissue specification; matter printed in italics indicates the additionsmade by reissue.

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Trash compactor structure in which areciprocating piston is mounted in a drawer and the compacting force isbetween the piston and the front end of the drawer and the trash isfilled by simple opening of the drawer to place the trash to becompacted between the piston and the front end, and servicable byremoval of the entire drawer from a framework support.

Re. 27,774 Reissued Oct. 2, 1973 ice and supported as shown in FIG. 3,on an angle iron frame 18. The frame 18 preferably is rigidly assembledas by welding. The angle iron as used herein is improved constructionfor purposes herein of easily constructing the kind of rugged frameworkneeded for a strong press, and is readily enclosed by tin platesheathing.

A drawer element 22 is mounted for sliding movement in the upper portionof the rectangular closure and is opened and closed manually by a handle24. The drawer 22 is likewise constructed of an angle iron frameworkcomprising top and bottom angles 26 in each side and running the lengthof the drawer. The angles 26 are secured together by horizontalintermediate angles 28 and vertical intermediate angle iron bracingelements 30, as well as forward vertical angle iron bracing elements 32,as well as a lower horizontal angle bracing element 34. All of theangles, it will be noted, are arranged with the vertical and horizontaljuncture side and angle disposed inward to provide a smooth closed innerend upper surface. The forward angles 32 and 34 are arranged to presenta narrow edge forward to receive and have welded thereto a front highpressure resistant anvil plate 36 welded thereto, thus providing both apressure plate and easy removal of a compacted trash briquet, andforming a rugged rectangular compression chamber when closed.

This device is improved in practical mechanical operation in having aram horizontally traversed by stationary screw, preferably actuated byrecirculating balls motor driven by a rotating nut of great strength andefiiciency for this purpose.

The device is improved in ready servicing in that the entire trash pressand traverse mechanism is mounted in and removable as a unit with thedrawer, whereby the service is readily applied to the totally removabledrawer.

The device is also improved from the aspect of economical production inthat both the slidable drawer and supporting casing are formed from aframework of easily assembled angle irons.

Other structural advantages will appear from the further descriptionmade in conjunction with the drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is an overall perspective of the assembled unit showing the opendrawer press and shell housing;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary detail with parts broken away to show the angleiron framework of the drawer;

FIG. 3 is a side elevation with parts in section to show the internalconstruction of the assembled device with the drawer closed, takenthrough the approximate center of the assembled device as shown in FIG.1;

FIG. 4 is a rear view of the assembly with parts in section taken as arear view of FIG. 3 with the outer metallic sheathing removed to showinternal construction;

FIG. 5 is a wiring diagram illustrating the hook-up of essentialoperating units;

FIG. 6 shows a commercial ball-screw wherein ball bearings arecirculated between a nut and screw for frictionless reciprocation of ascrew shift by a rotary nut; and

FIG. 7 is a detail showing the structure of FIG. 6 for recirculation ofball bearings.

As shown in FIG. 1, the commercial form of the device has a rectangularhousing 10 comprising sides 12, top 14 and front 16, all of attractivelypainted or enameled tin plate of usual heavy guage for the purposes;

forward closure of great rigidity and strength to accept the highpressure of the ram for present trash compacting purposes. The forwardplate 36 comprises the end surface against which the trash is compactedat extremely high pressure, easily sufficient to break and compressrigid trash objects such as bottles, cans, bones, as often encounteredin trash disposal.

The inner U-shaped basket element 38 extends upward along both sides,and covers the bottom of the drawer 22 having its forward end lyingagainst the forward plate 36, and is welded thereto. The top and sidesof the basket 38 are welded to fore and aft angles 26, thus completingwith the forward plate 36 a heavily reinforced rectangular pressurechamber on both the bottom and sides. An upper plate 40 is also weldedhorizontally to the upper angles of the frame 18, from side to side ofthe drawer, and serves as a rugged top plate closure, cooperating withthe sides 38 of the U-shaped basket, thus completing as a top closurethe enclosure of the rectangular pressure chamber in which the trash iscompacted when the drawer is closed, as will appear.

Extending outward from the upper drawer frame angles 26, symmetricallyon both sides, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, are rollers 42 which engagethe upper plate 41} for guide of the upper end of the drawer 22 inlongitudinal sliding movement in the cabinet 10. Extending inward fromintermediate side horizontal angles 19 [not shown] at the level of thebottom of the sliding drawer 22, are rollers 44 (FIGS. 3 and 4) [FIG 3]which bear against the underside of the horizontal flange of the lowerangle iron 26, for complimentary rolling support of the bottom of theroller drawer 22, so that the drawer 22 slides easily from closedposition of FIG. 3 to open position of FIG. 1 by manual pulling ofhandle member 24. Mounted for horizontal bracing motion within thedrawer 22 are bracing angles 28.

As shown in FIG. 3, the upper pressure plate 40 and sides and bottom ofthe basket 38 terminate at an intermediate point about the center of thedrawer 22 between the front plate 36 and the end of the drawer so thatthe pressure platen or ram 46 will reciprocate from a point behind itsfull line open trash receiving position; that is, just before the innerend of the basket 38, and the forward completely extended or closed ramposition, approximately at dotted line position of FIG. 3.

All of the press assembly integrally supported from angles 28 will moveforward as the drawer is opened and is easily removed as part of thedrawer with slight tilting motion after the plate is cleared at thefront end of the drawer. In full open-drawer position, the dependingshaft 70 and motor 94 engages the front end of the housing so thatslight tilting of the drawer is needed for its removal and constitutes adrawer stop. If desired, easily released latching means (not shown) maybe provided to prevent the drawer from coming out completely in ordinaryreciprocating horizontal movement, and for ready release when the entiredrawer is to be removed from sliding engagement with the angle frame 18on the rollers 42 and 44. Such latching means when used will alsoconstitute a drawer stop.

The press plate itself, as shown in FIG. 3, comprises a ram or pressinghead 46 secured to a stationary screw 48 which is supported inanti-friction thrust bearings within a race 50 secured and supported byan after plate 52, both upper and lower ends of which are bolted bybolts 54 to upper and lower cross angles 28 and in turn fastened tointermediate vertical angles 30. A series of four stay rods 56 havetheir forward ends bolted to four corners of the ram 46 and their afterends to the corners of the frame-like yoke 58, the center of whichsupports the after end of the ram screw shaft 48. A forward antifrictionbearing 60, also braces the screw shaft 48 and sleeve 66 for freerotation in a vertical bracket arm 62 of an angle bracket, of which thehorizontal arm 63 is fastened for ultimate suport to the after plate 52.An internally threaded sleeve 66 supported from the forward end of therace 50 encloses and actuates in rotary motion a ball bearing drivewhich consists of circulating balls entrained between the threads ofsleeve 66 and the threads of the screw drive 48, whereby the rotatingsleeve acts as a rotating nut which by rotation and circulation of ballsbetween an inner thread of the shaft 48 and the thread of the sleeve 66is rotated. The ram plate 46 together with 5 I the assembly, includingthe stay rods 56 and yoke plate 58, thus moves in reciprocatingcompressing movement to compact trash within the compression chamber 68.A lower vertical shaft 70 coupled to the armature of a motor 94, issupported by a thrust bearing 74 upon the horizontal bracket arm 63 andterminates in a sleeve drive 76 to which is fastened a bevel gear 78which meshes with a companion horizontally mounted bevel gear 80fastened to sleeve 66. The rotary drive of the motor 94 through shaft 70rotates the bevel gears 78 and 80, thereby rotating the rotarysleeve-nut 66fastened to gear 80 causing circulation of the ballbearings 67 therein and imparts reciprocating drive to the screw shaft48.

As shown in detail in FIGS. 6 and 7, the ball bearing sleeve drive isconventional structure wherein the rotary nut 66 is mounted above theshaft 48 having the threads gouged semicircularly in grooves 69,alternately disposed between helical lands corresponding to screwthreads 71 to receive the ball bearings 67. A ball bearing duct 73 ismounted to straddle several threads and to transfer the ball bearingsfrom one of the straddled group of several threads to an opposite end ofthe group of threads so that during rotation of the nut 66 the ballbearings are removed from one end of the group as the shaft 48 traverseslongitudinally out of the distance straddled by the nut and replacesthese balls at the opposite entering end. The balls spring to meet andsupport each new groove entering the nut. This is a known commercialsystem. It is preferred in the present device in having the advantag ofsubstantial friction reduction, easy stepless control, with littlesystem stiffness and greatly reduces wear despite heavy pressures.

The ram plate 46 has slightly tapered sides from the top to bottom toenhance concentration of the refuse downward. Moreover, the pressingassembly shown of ram plate 46 and yoke plate 58 fastened by stay bars56 and reciprocated by the screw shaft 48 allows application of evenpressure to an unbalanced resistance in the press. All unevennessbetween the plates 46 and 36 is accommodated resiliently by the staybars and yoke plate. For

these reasons it is preferred that the ram 46 be pressed by thestationary screw 48 slightly below its center; that is, more nearly thecenter of gravity of the compacted material which is below the center ofthe pressure plates and which tends in continuous compacting thrusts tobecome more dense at a point closer to the bottom of the chamber 68.Hence, heavy items such as cans and bottles tend to gravitate downwardduring multiple compressions and the eccentric placement of the shaft 48accommodates this by mounting below the center. Moreover, an inequalityof resistance encountered in crushing a bottle or can is accommodatedresiliently by the stay bars and yoke construction with the ram plate asdescribed. Finally, since liquids and pulpy materials are sometimespresent in the compression chamber, it is desirable to fit the outeredges of the ram 46 with a resilient gasketing material 82 to preventsepage of pulpy and liquid materials outward around the edge of the ramas the trash is being compacted.

It is also useful to emplace a drain 84 in the bottom of the basket 38covered by a grill through which liquids may be withdrawn from thecompression chamber as it is expressed from the compacted mass and ledto a sewer by connection with a resilient tube 85.

The electrical controls are shown in FIG. 5 in which the current entersthrough lines 88 and 90. Lines 90 may include a fuse 91 and a snapacting switch 92 (FIG. 4). The switch 92 is mounted to be opened bymovement of the drawer 22 so that when the drawer is puled open, theswitch 92 will automatically break the circuit to motor 94 as willappear. The other line of supply current, line 88, passes to a centercontact 95 of a relay 96 by way of line 97. Normally the contacts 95comprise a relay switch which is in circuit with upper contacts 98. Acoil 100 with a magnet (not shown) of relay 96 is also in circuit withinput current and motor contact C by way of lines 102 and 104. A manualcontrol switch 106 is conveniently mounted for operation such as on thefront face of the drawer plate 36. The relay 96 also has lower contacts108 in circuit with coil 100 and lines 102 and 104. When the switch 106is manually closed, energizing the coil 100 and magnet (not shown), theswitch arms extending from contacts 95 (not shown) are withdrawn fromcontacts 98 to alternately close the circuit across contacts 108 whichthen allows current to pass from line 88 and complete the circuitthrough the motor 94, passing further by way of line 110 and motorcontact F. This is the forward motor connection, and the ram 46 willresponsively more forward in the compressing direction under drive ofmotor 94.

A second sensing relay 112 takes current in part through its centercontacts 116 normally having their switch arms extending therefrom (notshown) to close the circuit through contacts 117. Contacts 116 and 95are then in circuit by way of line 119. The center contacts 116 have oneleg in circuit by way of line 114 with input supply line 88 by way ofnormally closed overload switch 118. Relay 112 has an energizing coiland magnet (not shown) which is in circuit with input leg 90 andcontrolled by drawer movement switch 92. This relay coil 120 is also incircuit with line 104 by way of line 122, and will not be energizeduntil the current drawn to the motor 94 exceeds a predetermined currentvalue for maximum motor torque which, for a one-third horsepower motor,preferred herein, may be of the order of 4 /2 amperes. When the motor 94is running, power will be supplied thereto through contacts 108. Whenthe ram plate 36 is under high compression and reaches a pre-determinedmaximum compression value, switch 118 is momentarily opened to break thecircuit through line 114, and line 119 and switch arms from contacts 95return again, returning to complete the circuit through contacts 98,transferring the current supply through line 124 and normally closedswitch 126, and completing the circuit thereby through line 128 to motorcontact R, whereby the circuit then is carried to the motor 94 throughlines 122 and 128, contacts C and R, and thus causing the motor toreverse.

When the ram plate 46 has thereby been retracted to a full openposition, the ram plate 46 then mechanically trips the switch 126breaking the circuit to the motor and inactivating the movement of theram. When the motor torque has become excessive, exceeding thepre-determined 4 /2 amperes, relay coil 120 activates its magnet to movethe switch arms from contacts 117 to place the center contacts 116 incircuit with the lower position contacts 130. This breaks the circuitthrough line 119 between relays causing the switch of relay Q6 toreverse to contacts 98. The motor reverses until it trips the reverselimit switch, opening the circuit to the motor and reactivating theunit. The center contact 116 of relay 112 when making connection withthe lower contact 130, after the coil 120 has been energized, is incircuit through line 134 with input current line 88 by way of resistance136, the latter being so balanced as to drain the same amount of currentas required to energize coil 120. This converts the circuit through line134 to a holding circuit for relay 112 which will be broken except thatopening of the drawer 22 breaks the circuit through switch Q2 (or manualswitch 106). The purpose of this holding circuit is to provide a voltagedrop through lamp 138 by way of lines 140 and 142, completing throughswitch contact 130, thereby interconnecting the circuit from line 88 byway of lines 114, contacts 116 and 130, to the opposite input line 90,and the lamp number 138 will remain illuminated whenever relay 112 isenergized and will stay lighted until the drawer is opened to tripswitch 92. Consequently, lamp 138 is an indicator of any excess torquerequirement of the motor. A lamp 144 is in circuit across lines 110 and104, indicating that the motor is moving forward; that is, compressing,and a lamp 146 is in circuit across lines 104 and 128 to indicate thatthe motor is reversing. Each of the switches 126, 106, 118 are momentarycontact switches normally opened or closed under the conditionsindicated.

As thus described, a household compactor for refuse is provided whereinthe entire compacting unit is mounted in a slidable drawer. The slidabledrawer may be opened slidingly to expose the compression chamber forfilling with trash into the open drawer as a compacting chamber. Uponclosing the drawer, a pressure ram compacts the trash efiiciently andwith great pre-set pressure, sufficient to compact allnormally-encountered household refuse even to crushing and compacting.

The design is such that the forward end of the drawer when openeddisposes for filling a normal compacting portion to receive additionalportions of trash, and when closed the compacting piston or ramautomatically compresses the trash, pressing forward against a frontstationary plate or anvil. Thereby the device becomes easily accessibleboth for supplying additional trash to be compacted or for removal ofthe compacted mass as a compressed body such as in the form of abriquette or the like, which is easily removed and easily disposable. Ifdesired the empty compression chamber may have inserted a papercontainer such as a bag, sack, carton or the like and opened toresiliently fill the compression chamber and into which the refuse isplaced and the filled sack is then pressed and compacted with the trashdisposed within, so that upon removal the container and its compressedcontents are removed and easily disposed of as a compacted dry unit.

The construction described further has the advantage that the entiredrawer is removable together with the compacting elements for readyrepair, cleaning, or the like, as a portable unit.

Certain auxiliary features are desirable in a press of this character,and may be included. For instance, it is useful to provide a drain asshown in the drawing as element 84 in the bottom of the basket 38 whichserves for continuous removal of expressed fluids. The drain 84 may befitted with ducting to transport the expressed fluid to a disposal sewer(not shown). Such drain may extend as shown substantially from side toside of the drawer and is disposed preferably in the forward end of thecompression chamber to receive expressed fluids even from narrowcompacted masses. It is preferred that the drain be protected by ascreen or grill to avoid clogging of the ducting with solids.

Several improved structural features are shown herein. For instance, therectangular ram plate 46 has resilient blades 82 mounted upon itsperipheral edges which may be of typical rubber gasketing wiper materialto prevent, as a seal, substantial exudation or flow of fluids or wetpulpy materials about the edges of the moving ram. In addition, theseals 82 prevent expelled fluids from accumulating in back of the ramwhich accumulation could otherwise contaminate the machinery and pose anodor problem. The gasketing seal 82 further allows the compressionchamber to be washed free of residual contaminating fluids or solidsafter removal of the compacted trash body, while inhibiting passage offluid into the operating elements behind the ram plate.

Another important feature of the present construction is the totaleasily assembled angle iron structure which provides adequate stiffeningfor a press of great strength for rugged long use providing a strongbracing frame for support of an easily sliding drawer with rollerelements thereon.

A further feature hereof is in the provision of a basket element forminga liner for the compression chamber readily removable after substantialwear and easily assembled upon the stiffening angle iron framework toform most of the compression chamber. An enclosure element forms theupper plate completing the walls of the compression chamber when thedrawer is closed, forming a. fourth wall closure of the U-shaped basket,whereby a rugged, easily-emplaced compression chamber is provided foreasy operation of the unit.

The motor driven ram mechanism may be, as described, a typical rotarynut whose rotation eifects reciprocation of the screw shaft and ramassembly attached thereto. Such reciprocation may obviously also be bydirect screw threaded contact between the threaded rotary sleeve 66 andthe shaft 48; but as indicated, great efliciency is provided by therecirculating ball screw and nut construction, a mechanical elementreadily commercially available of greatly improved efiiciency and littlefriction, whereby optimum compression is available from a moderatelypowered electrical motor drive as shown.

The motor drive 72 may also be hydraulically driven as a hydraulic motoras may be preferred in some units. While it is preferred to use thescrew and ball bearing units, as stated, for the smaller size units itis sometimes useful to substitute a piston type of reciprocatingactuator which is usually extended and retracted hydraulically. However,it could be operated by pneumatic pressure as well.

While the ram is mounted upon a screw threaded shaft for applyingcompression thereto which reciprocates as described but does not rotate,it is also possible to rotate the screw threaded shaft 48 forreciprocation thereof.

As described with respect to the operating electric circuitry, thevarious safety features for disconnecting the circuit to the motor whenthe drawer is open or when overloaded, are provided, whereby a verypractical operating unit is formed.

The problems encountered in this kind of construction include thepossibility of eccentric loading on the ram plate resulting sometimewhen a bottle or can is disposed during the compression at the bottom orat an edge of the compression plate, and because of the often smallclearance between the edges of the ram plate and the surroundingcompression chamber walls, and the desire to eliminate the need of wallguides, as are commonly used in reciprocating engines, ram suspensionsystem is here provided whereby instead of the ram plate being pushed bythe screw with all of the compression force and the corners of the yokeplate being applied from its centerpoint, the ram plate rather is pushedthrough stay bars from the rear of the screw shaft. Thus, the screwshaft actually pulls the stay bars to create a compression or pushingeffect applied at the plate edges while compressing the trash. Theeffect of pushing the ram plate from the rear results in the tolerationof substantial eccentric forces being applied to the trash duringcompression without distorting the ram plate itself or causing itsjamming against the compression walls. A second advantage of the rearpush construction shown for the ram plate is that it needs provision ofonly two journals or hearing supports for the threaded compressionshaft, one near the front and another near the rear of the long screw,so that the screw is cantilever loaded, but becomes a simple beamloading, and that in effect is the reason why jamming is prevented.

As thus described certain modifications will occur to those skilled inthe art and, accordingly, it is intended that the description anddrawings set forth be regarded as illustrative and not limiting exceptas defined in the claims appended hereto.

What is claimed is:

l. A trash compacting device comprising a housing, a. drawer mounted toslide outward from an enclosed position in said housing, and having anopen top to receive trash in open drawer position, said open top beingcovered by said housing in closed drawer position, said drawer having apressure resistant forward plate, drawer sides and bottom fastened toand adjoining said forward plate and forming with the housing acompression chamber in closed position of said drawer in said housing, amovable piston mounted to reciprocate in said drawer and compress trashfilled in said compression chamber between the piston and said forwardplate, and means for reciprocating said piston to compact the trash insaid compression chamber aganist said forward plate.

2. The device as defined in claim 1 wherein the means for reciprocatingsaid piston is mounted in said slidablc drawer and is entirely removablewith said drawer from said housing.

3. The device defined in claim 1 wherein said housing comprises asheathed framework formed of angle irons secured together to support andform guideways in which said drawer is housed and slidingly supported,said framework having a top plate pressure resistant closure elementdisposed immediately above the drawer top as a compression chamberclosure for the open top of said drawer when in closed position in saidhousing.

4. The device as defined in claim 1 wherein the drawer is rectangularand the piston is rectangularly fitted in the rectangular pressurechamber formed therein.

5. The device as defined in claim 4 wherein the rectangular piston has aresilient sealing means disposed about its edges sealing the pistonagainst the walls of said compression chamber.

6. The device as defined in claim 1 wherein the means for reciprocatingsaid piston is a motor driven helically threaded screw.

7. The device as defined in claim 1 wherein the means for reciprocatingsaid piston is a helically threaded sta tionary screw having a motordriven threaded rotary nut, said nut and screw having continuouslycirculating balls mounted in the threads as a force transfer mediumbetween said threaded nut and screw.

8. The device as defined in claim 1 wherein the compression chamber isrectangular, the piston is a rectangular plate and comprises arectangular yoke plate fastened thereto by stay rods extending betweencorresponding corners, a helically threaded stationary screwsubstantially centrally disposed between said compression plate andyoke, and cooperative threaded means for reciprocating said threadescrew and compression plate.

9. In a trash compactor comprising a compacting chamher for trash and atrash compacting ram plate mounted to reciprocate therein, said ramplate having several stay bars evenly distributed about the peripherythereof, and secured together at an opposite end in a yoke plate, andmeans for reciprocating said ram plate drivingly connected to said yokewhereby to apply even pressing force from the peripheral edges thereof,through said stay bars.

10. The device as defined in claim 9 wherein the ram plate andcompression chamber are rectangular and the vertical sides are taperedfrom top to bottom.

11. The device as defined in claim 9 wherein the means for reciprocatingthe ram is a threaded shaft fastened between the ram plate and yoke, andthe ram thrust is derived indirectly by reciprocating force applied tosaid yoke and transferred to said ram from said stay bars.

12. A trash compacting device comprising a housing, a drawer in saidhousing, separate bars mounted longitudinally of said drawer, saidseparate bars guiding said drawer at opposite sides thereof in slidingmovement within said housing and roller means between said drawer andsaid housing engaging said bars, a front portion of said housing forminga stop means to prevent inadvertent removal of said drawer in normalsliding use to compact trash, said drawer having a portion extendingoutward of said housing to expose an open top to receive trash inopen-drawer position, said open top being covered by said housing inclosed-drawer position, said drawer having pressure resistant forward,side and bottom plates adjoining each other and integrally forming arigid compression-resistant chamber in the forward end of said drawer, amovable piston mounted to reciprocate in said housing and compress trashfilled in said compression chamber and means for reciprocating saidpiston.

13. The device as defined in claim 12 wherein the means forreciprocating said piston is mounted in said slidable drawer and isentirely removable with said drawer from said housing.

14. The device defined in claim 12 wherein said housing comprises asheathed framework formed of angle irons secured together to support andform guideways in which said drawer is housed and slidingly supported,said framework having a top plate pressure resistant closure elementdisposed immediately above the drawer top as a compression chamberclosure for the open top of said drawer when in closed position in saidhousing.

15. The device as defined in claim 12 wherein the drawer is rectangularand the piston is recrangularly fitted in the rectangular pressurechamber formed therein.

16. The device as defined in claim 15 wherein the recrangular piston hasa resilient sealing means disposed about its edges sealing the pistonagainst the walls of said compression chamber.

17. The device as defined in claim 12 wherein the means forreciprocating said piston is a motor driven helically threaded screw.

18. The device as defined in claim 12 wherein the means forreciprocating said piston is a helically threaded stationary screwhaving a motor driven threaded rotary nut, said nut and screw havingcontinuously circulating balls mounted in the threads as a forcetransfer medium between said threaded nut and screw.

19. The device as defined in claim 12 wherein the compression chamber isrectangular, the piston is a rectangular plate and comprises arectangular yoke plate fasterred thereto by stay rods extending betweencorresponding corners, a helicolly threaded stationary screwsubstantially centrally disposed between said compression plate andyoke, and cooperative threaded means for reciprocating said threadedscrew and compression plate.

20. A trash compacting device, a drawer slidable into and out of saidhousing having a compression chamber in the forward end formed by thewalls and bottom of said drawer as defined in claim 12 wherein saidpiston comprises a compacting ram plate mounted in said housing toreciprocate and compress trash in said chamber, said ram plate beingreinforced by stifiening members disposed angularly about the peripherythereof, and means for applying force through said stifiening members tothe ram plate for reciprocating said ram plate, whereby to apply evenpressing force upon the peripheral edges of said ram plate.

21. A trash compacting device as defined in claim 12 wherein saidreciprocating means includes means for limiting the pressing forceapplied by said reciprocating means whereby upon exceeding limitingpressure applied thereto in compacting of said trash said reciprocatingmeans will be inactivated, said means for limiting the pressing forceapplied by said reciprocating means including means for measuring thecompressing force and terminating said compressing force applied to saidreciprocating means upon exceeding a pre-set quantity of force.

22. The device as defined in claim 21 wherein said reciprocating meansincludes an electric motor drivingly connected to impart reciprocatingmotion to said piston, and an electric power supply in circuit with saidmotor, said power supply including overload switching means operative tointerrupt the current flow to said motor when a condition of overloadpressure is exceeded by said reciprocating means.

23. The device as defined in claim 21 wherein said reciprocating meansincludes an electric motor drivingly connected to impart reciprocatingmotion to said piston, and an electric power supply in circuit with saidmotor, said power supply means including switch means operative tochange the compressing drive of said reciprocating means to terminatecompacting pressure of said piston upon said trash to a reverse drive ofsaid reciprocating means withdrawing said piston from pressing contactupon said trash.

24. A trash compacting device comprising a housing, a drawer in saidhousing to slide outward from a closed drawer position in said housing,separate bars mounted longitudinally of said drawer, said separate barsguiding said drawer at opposite sides thereof in sliding movement withinsaid housing and roller means between said drawer and housing engagingsaid bars, the forward end of said drawer lying substantially within andforming part 0; the forward side of said housing in said closed drawerposition, said drawer having a portion extending outward of said housingto expose an open top to reecive trash in open drawer position, saidopen top being covered by said housing in closed drawer position, saiddrawer having pressure resistant forward, side and bottom platesadjoining each other and integrally forming a rigidcompression-resistant chamber in the forward end of said drawer, amovable piston mounted to reciprocate in said housing and compress trashfilled in said compression chamber and means for reciprocating saidpiston.

References Cited The following references, cited by the Examiner, are ofrecord in the patented file of this patent or the original patent.

UNITED STATES PATENTS 252,922 1/1882 Bacon 100224 X 2,087,435 7/1937Hubbert 100229 X 2,591,510 4/1952 Clark 100229 X 2,702,224 2/1955Goldberg 312-274 2,757,603 8/1956 Wilson et a] 100229 X 3,353,47811/1967 Hopkins 10052 2,109,559 3/1938 Wickert 100245 X 3,204,550 9/1965Swiderski et a]. 100245 X 2,817,290 12/1957 Parker 100229 A 3,195,4487/1965 Larsen et a1. 100245 3,228,323 1/1966 Schohl 100126 3,229,618l/1966 OConnor 100245 X 3,253,537 5/1966 Porter et a1 100 -245 X3,352,230 11/1967 Hunnicutt 10053 3,358,590 12/1967 Howard 100-245 XBILLY J. WILHITE, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R.

